I am Wind
by kaleidoscopicmind
Summary: The Moon told Jack Frost his name, but there was a lot the Moon didn't say. Jack might have felt like it was always him against the world, but the Moon never left him completely alone. The Wind finds herself faced with more than she bargained for when the Moon suddenly decides her years of self-imposed exile are over.
1. The Moon told me so

The girl who called herself Wind, with hair a fiery auburn and skin almost bleached of colour, faltered in her flight. She had been on her usual route, just about to cross over a familiar clearing nestled amongst a forest of tall, snow-sprinkled trees. It wasn't the clearing itself that made her pause on this particular night. Rather, what she saw in the middle of it.

It was a ghost.

He was dead. She knew it, his body rotting in the bottom of that very pond and his family grieving. She had seen it happen, had seen it tear a hole in his family, had seen his funeral.

Wind still visited them sometimes, on the nights she didn't want to be alone with her own thoughts. She'd sit at their small dinner table with his mother who would spend hours just sitting there, staring at the wall with tears in her eyes. His father carried a shadow with him everyday, one that lingered in his eyes and his stooped shoulders, as if carrying a weight. Wind would try to play with his beloved sister who had distanced herself from others and was too quiet. Their joy had died with him that cold day.

But there he was, his limp, pale body rising from the frozen water. Sure, his hair was different; as white as the world around them, but it was undoubtedly him. With the same ragged clothes, his bare feet, his everything, it was like barely anything had changed since that day.

"No," Wind breathed shakily and felt herself waver in the air. She forced herself to land on the snow-covered ground at the edge of the pond, before her power gave out. "But...How? Jack-"

FROST something in her mind spoke up, too insistent for her to immediately dismiss it as simply her imagination.

And then he was gasping for breath, his chest heaving, and his eyes flew open and-

They were blue. Blue and cold and unfamiliar, not brown and warm and friendly like she knew.

Wind swallowed hard and didn't have to think too hard as to who was responsible. Who was always responsible.

She dragged her searching gaze away from the boy and turned to the Moon shining so brightly, big in the dark sky before them. He looked far too smug for a hunk of space rock and Wind suddenly wanted to punch him in his big powdery face.

_'Why did you do this?'_ she wanted to yell.

_'What about this is okay?'_ she wanted to cry.

But she didn't, not ready to draw attention to herself and risk not being recognised by those strange eyes. If he treated her like a stranger, Wind was sure her heart would break all over again.

JACK FROST echoed loudly in her mind once more.

Wind frowned and glanced back at the boy floating behind her, eyes narrowing further when she saw the silver line stretching from Jack to her at a rapid pace. Before she could flinch away, it struck her in the chest, right where her heart would be and she felt a fuzzy sensation wash over her, like her body was shifting.

She also noticed an odd weight settling over her heart and suddenly a gentle tug compelled her to move.

In an instant, Jack was released from his floating position and suddenly she was there to catch him, carefully guiding him down to rest on the ice below which somehow melded together under his touch.

Wind couldn't explain how she had known where she had to go and when, but it was like an order, like something or someone had wanted her to. Was it the string…?

When she looked down, the string was gone but she could still feel it, that peculiar weight in her chest and the anticipation that thrummed through her body, as if expecting another tug.

But Jack was stumbling to his feet and shocking her once more when frost danced at his fingertips and he sent to curling in beautiful patterns in burst of bright blue light.

As blue as his eyes.

What was this? This part of him that was foreign to her? How had he changed so much? Was he really the Jack she knew, this Jack Frost?

All of a sudden, Wind couldn't take it anymore. Jack hadn't noticed her yet for some reason but now she was done being silent. She had so much to ask him. And if he didn't recognise her, then…

Then he wouldn't be her Jack after all.

"Jack!" Wind called out and Jack chuckled as he danced around excitedly, sending off experimental bursts with a stick he had found. His smile sent warmth shooting through her like nothing ever did, and in that moment she was certain he was-

As he glided around the ice, he looked right at her and ran through her.

Wind stood there, frozen, while Jack continued to experiment gleefully with his newfound power. What…?

No.

No.

No.

She had spent so long- it wasn't enough- she couldn't go back. Not to how she was before. Not after seeing him again.

No. How could he…?

A tear slipped down Wind's face and she screwed her eyes shut tight.

Raising a hand to rub at her eyes shakily, she turned to glare at Moon who remained where he was, smug as ever. He just loved playing with her, didn't he? Couldn't he leave her alone for one century without plotting up some scheme for her to be mixed up in?

Anger flooded through her. No.

Spinning around, Wind flew at Jack and suddenly they were up, up in the air, spiralling higher and higher and-

_Stop!_ A voice shouted in the back of her head, different this time. Notus. _Aeolus, put him down._

The voice was quiet and low yet it caused Wind to stop suddenly, holding them both mid-air.

What was she doing?

When she came back to her senses, her anger gone, she realised she had accidentally let go of Jack, his cry echoing as he fell through the trees, luckily landing on a branch.

Wind heard a snicker at the back of her mind. Most likely Eurus.

An exhilarated laugh and whoop from somewhere in the trees told Wind he was alright.

Sighing and running a hand through her untameable hair, she flew down to the thick branch Jack had landed on, unable to bring herself to just leave him alone in the forest just yet.

He was undoubtedly her Jack, but changed.

Moon, she had never wanted that to happen. She had been devastated when he had died but she would never wish immortality on anyone, much less under the beck and call of the Moon.

Briefly, she wondered what his family would say when they saw him, saw his odd new powers. As Wind landed on the branch next to the grinning boy, she found him staring at his home village which could barely be seen over the trees in the distance. A pocket of light breaking the dark sea of trees.

Wait, what would they...

Before she could continue that train of thought, another tug pointed her in exactly that direction and she followed it, lifting Jack with her once more and flying towards the familiar village.

But flying with another, as she now realised, wasn't exactly easy. now that she had a long way to go and she wasn't fuelled by intense emotion, she found it was a lot harder than she would have thought.

Jack was inexperienced with flying and didn't know how to balance himself in the air, tensing himself too much and sending them both toppling over too many times to count. She could hear a chorus of groans and unhelpful advice with every close-call and fall, but she determinedly ignored the ansty winds in favour of concentrating.

Eventually they got there, Jack falling the last meter when Wind accidentally let go of him a little too early. Oops.

He stumbled back to his feet with an embarrassed grin as he got his bearings and gazed around at his surroundings. He began greeting the villagers, curiously getting little reaction from them.

Wind floated slowly to the ground, confused as she watched Jack persist cheerfully with little success.

What was going on?

_Oh no,_ a sweet voice sighed sadly. Zephyrus.

_Aeolus, I think you better get out of there now,_ a grim voice warned. Boreas.

Something clicked in her head and Wind realised. But before she could grab Jack and leave, a small kid chasing after a dog ran towards them, right through Jack. Jack was left gasping, eyes wide as he stumbled back in shock.

Wind sighed, chest aching in sympathy as she watched him try to understand, flinching away from the other villagers when they walked through him as well. Soon, they found themselves at the edge of the village.

Everything made sense now. His powers, the circumstances, Moon's obvious involvement and his ability to bounce back from an almost fatal fall.

He was one of them now.

He had died, and now Moon had some twisted plan cooked up and who knows how long he would make Jack wait for it

Moon knows, Wind was still waiting.

As Jack turned his back to her, his shoulders hunched and his staff gripped tightly in one fist, Wind swore she could see the string again briefly, a reminder.

So this was what the space rock wanted. Her time had come, after all.

Wind considered her options.

She could let him disappear into the forest alone and then she could carry on with life as painlessly as she would be able to after she recovered from the encounter.

Or she could stay with him and suffer the old wounds seeing his face every day would open constantly, a shattering reminder of what she had lost and would never be able to have again.

In the end, Wind realised she had never really had much to decide, her mind was already made up. She would never have been able to bring herself to leave his side.

Mentally cursing herself for always choosing the hard way, Wind hurried after Jack before she lost him.

He wasn't her Jack anymore, she would have to remember.

This was someone else, someone called Jack Frost.

_'Alright,'_ Wind thought as she glanced over her shoulder, scowling slightly. The Moon shone innocently behind her. _'You win this time.'_

As the two disappeared into the trees, leaving the light far behind them, Jack was a storm of emotions, and Wind forced herself to organise her anemoi now that she wouldn't be able to be everywhere at all times.

She finally had a purpose. It was a shame it only came now, after centuries of aimless wandering.


	2. Interlude (Blizzard of '68)

All background noises faded until her head was the loudest. Wind wasn't okay.

'_Aura, come play with me! You've been away too long.'_

Wind's breathing quickened and she turned around lightning fast but no one was there. She had thought this would be easy. Well, not easy, but less of the mountain it had turned out to be.

'_Haha, that was so cool! How did you do that?'_

The darkness between the gaps in the trees became an abyss and Wind stood transfixed. Her head pounded and her limbs felt heavy.

'_Aura! You're coming back, aren't you? This place is so boring when you have to leave.'_

The thick trunks thinned and the blackness gaped. The air stirred.

'_Where do you go? What's out there? Can't you stay a little longer? Come ooon.'_

Her breath hitched and it was almost like she was being sucked in, the blackness beginning to creep at the edge of her vision. The wind in the trees began to whistle, the branches shuddering under the violent force.

'_Aura, I found this super cool pond! I'm gonna take Emily there when it freezes over!'_

She couldn't… what was… how was she supposed to do this? Why…

Air rushed in her ears, whipping her skin and picking up leaves.

'_Haha, Aura!'_

_Aura…_

'_Aura!'_

_Aura!_

'_Aura-'_

_AEOLUS!_

Wind jumped at the screaming in her head and realized it belonged to Zephyrus, not the laughing voice that had been calling out to her. She blinked and the darkness was gone, seeing instead a thick wall of trees bathed in a green gloom cast by overhanging branches and dappled with escaped sunlight.

Wind rubbed at her eyes fiercely. She wasn't there anymore, that place didn't exist anymore.

Finally released from whatever had held her captive, she collapsed on the ground and curled in on herself as she wiped at the burning tears in her eyes. She had to move on. She'd accepted the guilt, accepted the responsibility and now she had to keep moving forward.

So why did it still hurt so much?

A shuffling behind Wind caught her attention and she glanced over her shoulder. Right, Jack was still resting. That's why they'd stopped in this reasonably secluded spot. The winter sprite had recently expelled a little too much of his magic in the name of playful experimentation and had exhausted them both. Being not technically living, Jack didn't need the sleep to function, her even less, but there were times when he needed time to recharge and a little rest never hurt anyone. Wind had been content to sit and keep lookout but it seemed to have only given the silence opportunity to catch up with her. She had gotten a little too used to Jack's antics monopolising her attention and distracting her mind from dangerous places.

"Sorry for worrying you, guys," Wind muttered as she sat down gingerly next to Jacks dozing form. Briefly checking on the status of her anemoi.

_You need to be more careful, _Notus reproached, shuddering. _That could have been dangerous._

_Yeah, that was spooky, _Eurus agreed shakily.

_It's okay to talk about it, you know? _Zephyrus said softly and Wind smile wryly.

"I know, Zeph. It's a nice idea but there's not much point talking to you guys since you know already. I'm okay, though, I promise." She didn't fool anyone.

_Just think about what would have happened if we hadn't been able to distract you, _Notus added sourly. _The destruction our powers could have caused if you had lost control-_

_Not that that would have been too bad, _Eurus cut in cheekily, lessening the tension. _Been a while since we've been able to fully let go. Might even be a good thing._

_No, _Zephyrus reprimanded tiredly. _No that would not have been a good thing._

_I wouldn't be opposed, actually, _Notus commented mildly, opinion changed.

When Zephyrus only sighed, the Southern Wind continued with an audible smirk. _But I understand the logic of control, unlike some._

…_why do I get the feeling you're talking about me?_

"Because we are, Eurie," Wind clarified, both amused at their bickering and grateful for the distraction. Boreas was being oddly silent, but when Wind reach out mentally, she just got pushed away coldly. It seemed the Northern Wind was just as shaken as she was.

It was then that Jack shifted once more in his sleep but this time his eyes fluttered open and Wind flinched at the cold blue they revealed. It still took her off-guard sometimes.

The boy stretched as he woke up, grunting as he surveyed his surroundings.

He looked exactly the same as the night Wind had first met Jack Frost, despite the time that had passed since then. It hadn't taken him too long to adapt to his new life, his powers now as natural to him as breathing. He'd always been one for thrills and exploring the unknown and he had taken delight in exploring his new limits. They had managed to perfect their cooperation as well, now able to soar seamlessly through the air as Jack guided and Wind carried him along. He still couldn't see her. It still pained her.

The one thing he still struggled with was what anyone like them struggled with; the immortality. Wind knew how hard it was to watch ages of man pass you by, the detachedness of no longer belonging, the loneliness of not being Seen. The only comfort any of them could take was that what they did had an impact on their world, that they could still do something.

Jack could bring winter, influencing the lives of people as it came and went. Causing mischief, mild inconveniences, and masterfully crafted pranks was how he coped. It wasn't the best coping mechanism but it was by far one of the healthier ones.

When Jack pulled himself up to stand, Wind was grateful when she didn't feel the familiar tug in her chest. She didn't trust herself up in the air right now, especially supporting them both. Luckily, Jack seemed content to stay grounded for now as he scooped up his staff and began meandering through the trees, following the faint sound of children's laughter that Wind only just noticed.

_It's okay, I'll go, _Zephyrus offered.

_Ooh, me too! _Eurus said enthusiastically.

'Thanks,' Wind breathed as she cupped her hands around her mouth and blew gently, the two wispy forms of her anemoi taking shape and appearing before her. Eurus grinned reassuringly and Zephyrus nodded in understanding of their task before ushering Eurus away and they followed the white-haired boy.

Wind just… needed a moment. To breath. To steady herself. To-

_"Aeolus. _Now this is a surprise. After all these years, I was almost convinced you had disappeared completely," a dark voice purred.

So much for taking a moment to breath.

Wind reached out mentally and confirmed that Zeph, Eurie and Jack were far enough away. Good. Whatever this would be about, she did not want Jack involved.

Wind turned around with a scowl and faced the bogeyman head on.

"Pitch," Wind spat, the name leaving a bad taste in her mouth. Pitch chuckled at her obvious lack of enthusiasm at the sight of him.

"Aeolus," he greeted with a wide grin that didn't match his dangerously glinting eyes, the snake. "It's a pleasure to see you too, as always."

Wind rolled her eyes, pausing to frown when she really looked at him.

It had been a while since Wind had seen him, at least several hundred years or so. Their parting on less than ideal terms had left a densely hostile air between them, conflicting with the history between them. Wind must have been getting soft because she couldn't help but look on him as an old friend, despite all that had happened.

"Sad, isn't it?" he said bitterly when he caught her stare. "What I've been left to. A mere shadow of my former self, my former power. I have you to thank for that, don't I? You and _them."_

Amongst the lengthening evening shadows that spilled across the forest's trees amongst the green gloom, Pitch's silhouette stood out stark, his frame crooked, the set of his shoulders not quite as proud as they once were. The faint lines of his face were hard to make out, but it was still unmistakably him.

Wind glared, feeling old arguments rise to the surface as they stared each other down and the air and shadows buzzed in anticipation.

"Don't you dare try and lay guilt on me, Pitch," she snapped, and maintained the intense eye-contact, refusing to break eye contact as silver met pale-gold. Pitch was the first to look away, remorse a brief flash on his face quickly covered up by one of his many masks.

Wind couldn't deny it made her heart clench to see her old friend in such a state, no doubt hurting despite the act he put on. But she wasn't willing to be fuel for one of his pity parties and she was not about to allow him to make her the bad guy, not after all they'd been through.

"As touching as this reunion is, I'm really not in the mood for whatever kind of heartfelt confessions and deep emotional angst this is headed towards," Wind sighed, drawing herself up defensively. "What do you want?"

Pitch frown was quickly smoothed over as he quirked an eyebrow at her. "My, my, impatient, aren't we? I might begin to think you actually have something to do other than wreck another city."

Wind's expression darkened at the jab but she brushed it off, digging through all his irritating indirect prodding for the underlying question that belied his true intentions. He hadn't changed at all, always manipulating and hiding underneath facades and lies. Wind just shook her head.

"Yeah, no. You don't get to ask questions like that. You can just leave me alone if that's all wanted," Wind stated bluntly.

Pitch scowled at her declaration but just shrugged, not moving an inch.

_Careful, Aeolus. Don't let Pitch see Jack._

Wind fought the instinct to glance over her shoulder, instead keeping tabs on the location of her released anemoi to keep track of Jack.

The boy was out of sight for now, beyond the edge of the forest wandering distractedly past kids hunting for Easter eggs, according to Zeph's quick reports.

"You're still as stubborn as ever, I see," Pitch commented, not seeming all too displeased at the discovery.

Wind turned to go, done with the conversation and ready to return to Jack's side.

"I have plans, Aeolus. Big plans," Pitch finally said, pulling on a smirk that gave Wind a bad feeling as she stopped. Any plans of his no doubt meant trouble. "I need you to think about whether or not you'll be apart of those plans."

Wind bit her lip as her heart ached, taking her by surprise. After all that had happened, he still went to her when he needed help. After all that happened, she shouldn't want to still be apart of those plans.

"Pitch," she began quietly but he cut her off with a frustrated frown.

"No. You don't have to tell me now. They've obviously brainwashed you and it will be pointless. You have time, my plans aren't quite ready yet and we both know our old friend up in the sky won't be doing anything any time soon. Think it over."

Wind sighed. "Pitch, this isn't my fight anymore."

He stared at her in disbelief. "Oh, come on, they can't have addled your mind _that-" _

"I haven't seen them since I left!" Wind shouted and the air around her stirred a little. He went quiet immediately. "I haven't- this isn't about them, okay?"

Pitch's face twisted. "Then what? You've forgiven and forgotten, is that it?"

Wind looked away, unable to give a definite yes. That would never be the case and they both knew it.

"You see? You can't deny how you feel, the justice you deserve," Pitch said softly. "The power of the Wind is an unstoppable force and its time _they_ feel its true wrath. It's time _He _feels it."

The silence settled between them, thick and full of years of anguish.

"It's been so long, Pitch. I've long swallowed my anger and maybe you should, too. I've got a new responsibility now," Wind said just as quietly.

She felt his gaze burn her skin as she avoided looking at him, unwilling to say more. She couldn't reveal any more.

"You can deny it all you want, but I know you're still angry. Don't you think we deserve to be seen? To be heard? What happened to the you who believed that no one deserved to be forgotten?"

Wind blinked furiously. She couldn't bring herself to respond. If she did, she knew she'd break and that was not how she had wanted this to go.

Pitch seemed to accept her silence as whatever slight victory he could.

"Think about it. The time will come and you will have to say yes," he paused with a frown, "Or no."

He was gone before she could say anything else, his words ringing in her head as she made her way slowly to where Jack and her anemoi were.

Pitch was up to something and she could make a good guess as to what he was thinking of. She hated how much she didn't hate the idea. Wind had no idea what to do. She'd thought she'd long left that endless fight but it seemed she wasn't quite done yet. Despite her words, she could still feel her rage burning in the pit of her stomach, only now it took a slightly different form than before. Different, but no less intense. All that _He_ had done. She crouched beside Jack when she found them.

The winter sprite seemed just as lost in thought as she was, something obviously bugging him as he vacantly watched the giggling children dash through the trees. It was rare for him to hold back from joining in the fun. When Wind looked at his face, there seemed to be an echo of loneliness to it. She smiled sadly.

'_What happened to the you who believed that no one deserved to be forgotten?'_

Wind flinched, quickly pushing the unwanted voice out of her head. She had to stop getting so stuck in her head. It didn't help that she had few people to talk to and those few were basically in her head, Pitch not included.

Jack's eyes lit up suddenly and he snapped his fingers experimentally as he stood up, sending off a stray snowflake. Wind watched him curiously.

"You know what this Easter looks like it needs?" Jack asked himself animatedly as he paced, a thoughtfully mischievous grin spreading slowly on his face. Wind realised what he was thinking when he glanced at the easter egg hunt while tossing his staff experimentally.

She couldn't help the grin, not even able to bring herself to try and protest. Honestly, they deserved a little healthy stress relieving. And the look on Bunny's face would be so worth it.

'_Don't you think we deserve to be seen? To be heard?'_

"A little snow," Jack declared cheerfully in answer to his question.

_Snow? In Spring? _Notus snorted in amusement.

_Oh, oh, yes! Finally! _Eurus exclaimed, practically buzzing with excitement.

_Here we go again, _groaned Boreas, who was wearing just as big of a smirk.

_Poor, Bunny,_ Zephyrus sighed.

With a wicked glint in his eye, Jack stepped forward, staff in hand and tugging Wind along with him. What would come next would long be remembered fondly by some, guiltily by others, and cursedly by one, as the blizzard of '68.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait, I've been struggling to find a good way to pull everything together in a satisfying way. I didn't really wanna just jump right into what's in the movie without some kind of transition. So here we are: Interlude (or alternatively, the Blizzard of '68).

I hope you guys appreciate it and let me know what you think!

* * *

_Just some extra info for you guys to understand certain elements without having to look it up yourselves:_

_ \- Aeolus: in Greek mythology is the 'Master of the Winds' (I've been playing around with Jack Frost's origins in mythology)_

_ -Aura: means 'breeze', in Greek and Roman mythology a minor deity_

_ -Anemoi: 'Winds', Greek wind gods under control of Aeolus. In mythology and this fic they can take several forms like gusts of wind, horses, or winged 'men' (here they appear almost identical to Wind but with slight variations and don't have a definite gender despite appearances)_

_ -Boreas 'Reas': the North wind and 'Bringer of Winter', known for strength and violent temper. Here has blue eyes as opposed to Wind's silver and hair is short short and spiky_

_ -Eurus 'Eurie': the East wind (sometimes switched with Apeliotes), can be associated with farmers due to easy winds and bringing of rain. Here has amber eyes and short very curly hair._

_ -Notus 'Nota': the South wind and feared as 'Destroyer of Crops' due to dry hot winds and storms they bring. Here has dark brown eyes and long hair in a ponytail._

_ -Zephyrus 'Zeph': the West wind and the 'Messenger of Spring', the gentlest of the winds and known as the fructifying wind. Here has pale green eyes and wavy medium-length hair._


	3. Act 1: Welcome to Burgess

Nearly three centuries after the awakening of Jack Frost, was when the Nightmare King's plan was set in motion. After centuries of planning and biding his time, all the pieces were in place. The Moon had been planning, as well.

Wind could feel the world around her hold its breath in anticipation. A war was coming, that much was clear. What worried her was that she couldn't tell where her and Jack fit into it.

_At the North Pole, the Guardians of Childhood had gathered at North's workshop, summoned by suspicions and rumours. Four solemn faces gazed at the shadowed figure that stained the tiled floor of the workshop, dread filling them as they realized what the Moon was showing them. The rays of moonlight cast the shadow of a foe they had believed long gone._

_"It is Pitch," one of them, the Easter Bunny, breathed grimly, eyes wide as the over-sized rabbit glanced at a large man with a large white beard. The man patted his belly and raised a brow meaningfully, a silent 'I told you so'._

_The bearded man then stepped forward and and turned his searching gaze towards the Moon, blue eyes trusting and patient._

_"Manny," he spoke, his voice thick with a strong russian accent. "What must we do?"_

_The moonlight shifted, triggering a tile to sink and disappear into the ground. In its place, a large blue crystal rose up, beautiful as it sparkled with refracted moonlight._

_"Uh, guys, you know what this means?" the feathered fairy spoke up excitedly, wings buzzing as she flew closer to the crystal._

_"He's choosing a new guardian," the Russian answered for them all, voice soft in wonder as eyes fixed on the crystal._

_The rabbit frowned. "What? Why?"_

_"Must be big deal, Manny thinks we need help," he replied as the crystal began to refract even more light, washing the room and its occupants in a soothing blue glow._

_"Since when do we need help?" the rabbit laughed in disbelief._

_"I wonder who it's going to be?" the fairy piped up eagerly._

_The Sandman, the fourth guardian, had remained a silent observer until now. He lit up and a four-leaf clover appeared over his head as a suggestion, made up of golden sand._

_"Maybe the Leprechaun?" the Tooth Fairy voiced curiously._

_In his corner, the rabbit muttered to himself, fists clenched as he chanted, "Please not the Groundhog, please not the Groundhog-"_

_As each of the Guardians waited in anticipation, the moonlight in the crystal seemed to channel itself upwards until it formed a vague figure. Concentrating itself, it eventually took a clear form._

_A moonlit figure grinned mischievously back at them. It was a boy, dressed in a hooded sweatshirt and leggings, barefoot as he held a crooked staff in one hand, the other hand shoved into a pocket. Only half of his face was revealed, the rest hidden by his hood, but his identity was no mystery to them._

_"Jack Frost," the bearded man stated in surprise, blinking a little bewilderedly._

_Some of the tiny fairies squealed in delight as the rabbit stared in growing horror, slack-jawed._

_"Uh- I take it back, the Groundhog's fine," the rabbit groaned._

_The fairy shook off the dreamy look on her face. "Well, uh, as long as he helps to-to protect the children. Right?" she stammered._

_"Jack Frost?" the rabbit snapped in outrage. 'He doesn't care about children! All he does is freeze water pipes and mess with my egg hunts! All right? He's an irresponsible, selfish-'_

_"Guardian," the red-suited man cut in, gazing at the blue figure thoughtfully._

_"What? Come on-"_

_This time he was interrupted by the fairy. "Hey guys, what's that behind him?"_

_Everyone examined the light and found that there was indeed something behind Jack Frost. It was faint, only shown in weak light, but it was there._

_"What is that?" the rabbit muttered distractedly as he squinted._

_As they focused, it seemed to become brighter, only slightly, but enough so as to make out a girl, her hands rested on Jack Frost's shoulders. Long, curly hair trailed down her back and she wore a ragged, sleeveless dress. Her legs were only partially formed, the lower of which faded into nothing. Thin, freckled shoulders were hunched forward and her face was obscured by Jack's own._

_Almost as quickly as it had appeared, it seemed to fade into a pale haze once more._

_Tooth Fairy gasped. "That wasn't…?"_

_"Impossible," the man dismissed hesitantly, still not sure what he had seen._

_"You don't think that-that all this time…" the rabbit trailed off, sharing a look with the others._

_The sandman remained thoughtful and silent, not offering anything._

_"Well, I guess we'll find out, won't we?" the fairy offered after a solemn silence._

_"Yes," the man agreed. "Jack is to be Guardian. We will know soon enough."_

_"Huh? Hang on, you're not still considering this are you?" the rabbit interjected. "Jack Frost is many things, but he is not a Guardian."_

Whether Jack was suited to be a Guardian or not was yet to be decided, but for the moment the sprite in question had no such concerns.

"Hey, Wind?" the non-Guardian called as he hung from the spire of a tower, fairly certain he was somewhere in Russia. A responding cold breeze washed over him and he chuckled. "Take me home!"

In an instant the breeze became stronger and buffeted him off the tower, carrying him into the sky and beyond the clouds in the darkened sky as the winter sprite whooped and cheered.

Feeling himself rush through the air, Jack Frost righted himself and let out another whoop, feeling as light as a feather and as free as a bird.

Unknown to him, Wind watched him fondly as she carried him through the dawning sky, joining in his thrill as she allowed him to guide them in leaps towards their destination.

She felt that now-familiar tug on her heart and allowed them to drop as they reached blue skies, and what Jack often referred to as home.

Burgess was a fairly quiet town with nothing to really make it stand out from others, fairly quiet, nothing too special about it. Wind knew that Jack didn't really understand his attachment to the place, but she could understand it well. Once a home, always a home. She supposed that despite having no memories before Jack Frost, he still could sense some attachments instinctively.

Whatever it was, Burgess was home and Wind was okay with that.

Today was no different than any other day. They flew around the town, causing mischief and spreading frost wherever they went as they danced and twirled through the frosty air.

It wasn't long before they found a small boy with big brown eyes, rambling about bigfoot and other characters that his friends teased him about. 'Jamie' they called him in exasperation like they were so much more mature than him.

"The Easter Bunny_ is_ real," the boy insisted stubbornly in response. He grabbed a sled which had been propped up against the veranda of his house.

Following the kid had been another of Jack's whims, much how most of their adventures started off as, and Wind helped him balance lightly on the top of a fence amusedly.

"Oh, he's real, alright," Jack quipped as he hopped and swayed like an acrobat. "Real annoying, real grumpy and really full of himself."

Wind snorted as she hovered close to Jack, a tug making sure she kept him lightly balanced and ready to catch him if he fell. He didn't realise how on the nose he really was.

"C'mon, you guys will believe anything," one of his friends complained as they continued to bicker, the gang started to leave the garden.

A little girl with a mess of blonde hair hopped down the stairs of the house singing about the Easter Bunny only to trip and fall, catching the attention of her mother and their hound. The dog paused when it spotted Wind and Jack, ears pricked at attention.

"Boo," Jack spooked and the dog whimpered and ran back to his owners. Jack grinned and sat down on the fence.

Just before the boy and his friends had left the garden, his mother called out to him and stuffed a wooly-hat onto his head.

"You don't want Jack Frost nipping at your nose," she warned warmly.

"Who's Jack Frost?" Jamie asked in confusion, something unreadable flickering across Jack's face.

"No one, honey. It's just an expression," she replied before making her way back to the house and saying goodbye.

"Hey!" Jack exclaimed in resentfully as he leapt down the street-side of the fence and watched the boys run of with the sled to play in the snow in a park not far.

It wasn't unusual that the boy hadn't heard about Jack, not many had. In that aspect, the winter sprite was pretty similar to Wind. To everyone, Jack was just an imaginative figure or nothing at all, merely an echo. It was something that weighed heavy on the heart of the sprite who prided himself on his carefree nature.

_"Who's Jack Frost?"_ He muttered bitterly, a wicked glint in his eye as he shaped a snowball in his hand and breathed on it, glittering blue frosten compassing it before he hurled it in the direction of the gang with a chuckle.

Hitting Jamie, the tell-tale sparkle of Jack's magic appeared briefly around the boy's face as he began giggling.

"Okay, who threw that?" he demanded with a grin.

"Well, it wasn't Big-Foot, kiddo," Jack smirked as they flew over but Wind couldn't bring herself to enjoy the excitement like she usually did.

Cupping her hands around her mouth, Wind let out a deliberate breath and watch as the wispy form of one of her anemoi took form.

Eurie grinned at her. "Thanks, Boss," the anemoi beamed and immediately flew into the fray as a snowball fight was started, Jack in the middle of it all unable to stay away. He swerved and slid across the battlefield, providing ammo and hurling shots of his own. Eurie cackled at his side, taking pains to topple kids over and blowing fistfuls of snow into unprepared faces.

_That probably wasn't the wisest choice,_ Zeph observed.

Wind sighed. She knew that, but she had been feeling off today and she was reaching the point where she needed to sit out and think.

The other night, she had seen the Guardian's signal making its way through the sky, shimmering green lights from the headquarters in the North. While she usually ignored anything to do with the Guardians, there had been relative peace for a while now. For them to call an emergency meeting at a time like this, so close to Easter, only confirmed her suspicions. Something was up.

Wind desperately hoped it wasn't what she thought it could be, hoped that it wouldn't mean the trouble she had been dreading. She didn't know what she'd do if it was. She couldn't shake off the foreboding feeling.

An alarmed yell cut through her grim thoughts and she looked up just in time to see Jamie speeding down the street on his sled, Jack guiding the sled with his staff and a trail of ice with a grin as they navigated the traffic, Eurie by his side carrying him with a mischievous look in her pale eyes. They disappeared around a twist in the street before Wind or the other children could do or say anything.

So maybe choosing Eurie hadn't been the wisest thing to do.

Wind quickly took off after the troublesome trio.

_Eurus was definitely the wrong choice,_ Reas grumbled

Wind hurriedly scanned the area and spotted them, shooting through the air to hover above Jack and Eurie, wincing as they barely skittered out of the way of cars and trucks.

_Well, at least the boy's still alive,_ Nota reasoned.

_Notus! Now is not the time for jokes. What if something bad happens?_ Zeph's sweet voice fretted

_Then we'd have to deal with the Guardians,_ Reas groaned.

_That would be troublesome,_ Nota agreed in disappointment.

_That is not the point!_ Zeph cried, _The point is that poor boy. He must be traumatized._

Through the bickering, Wind had been struggling to gain control of the sled and call back Eurus at the same time but her concentration had been wavering with the chaos in her head.

"Guys," Wind gritted as the window for her successfully taking control of the situation before someone died became narrower and narrower. "I would appreciate it if you would all kindly shut up while I try and prevent any of that happening."

Apologetic silence met her command. "Thank you," she breathed.

With no more bickering clouding up her mind, Wind was able to successfully call back Eurus and took her place at Jack's side just as a truck came in their way, causing them to swerve sharply and sending the sled flying off the street and out onto a field of snow with a monument in the middle.

As Jamie sank into a pile of snow, Jack and Wind followed the trajectory through the air and landed on the monument.

_And homeboy sticks the landing!_ Eurus crowed as Jack whooped and Wind was positive she felt Zeph facepalm.

_Shut up,_ Reas snapped. _Just shut up._

Jamie's friends finally arrived, panting, and approaching warily. Suddenly, the boy shakily stood up and cheered in exhilaration.

"Did you guys see that? It was amazing!"

Wind shook her head and cracked a smile as the boy began enthusiastically describing what had happened to his friends. Jack leant back with a fond smile and Wind settled down next to him. She revelled in this small happiness. Moments like these came and went fleetingly, enough so that Wind treasure every moment as they came. She had spent a lifetime without moments like these and it had taught her to hold onto what she could get.

"No, c'mon," Jack protested as he jumped after them, dragging Wind with him. The children were already leaving and gushing about the Tooth Fairy and a tooth that had apparently been knocked out, the most recent exploit quickly forgotten.

"Wait a m- hold on, hold on!"

None of the children even paused.

"_Jack,_" Wind tried weakly. Those kids could hear him as much as Jack could hear her.

"What about all the fun we just had? That wasn't the Tooth Fairy, that was me!"

"Jack."

_They're not going to hear you,_ Reas stated bluntly.

_Boreas, this isn't the time,_ Zeph chided, her usually soft tone taking on steel.

Jack continued to follow the group, desperate to not be brushed off, desperate to not be forgotten.

But there was no one but Wind to hear him and Jack found himself being walked through for his efforts.

Zeph and Eurie winced while Nota sighed.

Wind felt it, just looking at him. The contact, the chill that went through him, the empty feeling he was left with. He clutched his chest with a hand and blinked back tears.

_"What happened to the you who believed that no one deserved to be forgotten?"_

Wind frowned and clenched her fists. The words still echoed in her head, just like she knew that manipulative bastard had wanted.

When Wind felt the tug, it didn't have a specific destination. It was weaker than usual but she followed it anyway and swept him up into the sky. He went along mechanically, not seeming to care where she took him so she took him up, above the clouds where she knew he loved to spend time.

It wasn't much, but it was all she could do.

They spent hours drifting listlessly.

Wind spent a lot of time thinking. They both did.

* * *

So I am back, only slightly dead. Diving into the movie now, I hope no one minds it being quoted so heavily. I just love the movie so much and to be able to watch it again through the eyes of my characters is pretty awesome for me. Tell me what you think? :)


	4. the freaking Guardians of Childhood, no?

Night fell quickly and after checking on the boy at his house, Jack was in a quiet mood. When they reached the rooftops, Jack turned his eyes to the Moon as it rose big and bright, just as it had on that night so many years ago. Wind sat on the tiles by Jack's feet, looking at the Moon before turning to survey the quiet streets below, listening stone-faced as Jack gave in to his loneliness and tried talking to the Moon, quietly enough that she knew it was more half-hearted than anything.

"If there's something I'm doing wrong, can you just tell me what it is? Because I've tried _everything _and no one ever sees me."

Wind hunched in on herself. She'd given up on the Old Man long ago.

"You put me here," Jack pleaded, " The least you can do is tell me- tell me why."

Wind rubbed her face with her hands and sighed tiredly, letting herself be tugged along as Jack gave up into frustration and floated off, wishing he could feel her arms around him so he wouldn't have to fight back the tears she knew he was.

He'd used to rant at the sky, yell and whisper, beg and shout, long-winded demands dwindling into half-hearted pleas until Wind could tell he was starting to give up too. He was turning into her, she could see it. And it worried her. She didn't want him to become like her. Didn't want him to make the same mistakes as her. She was a lost cause and it killed her to see the boy hurtling down the same path.

There was anger in him. A lot of it. She just hoped he learnt to let go before it was too late and it broke him.

_Like it did us? _Nota suggested and Wind pushed the suggestion away.

Both feeling morose, Wind and Jack had found themselves aimlessly wandering the quiet rooftops lit by golden dream dust as the Sandman's work filled the night sky. It was always a comforting sight to see and the two watched the spectacle with a smile.

Something disturbed the peace and Wind snapped to attention, body moving on autopilot as she desperately scanned the sky. That couldn't have been...could it?

A shadow flitting across their path startled the silver-eyed girl out of her search. Jack immediately leapt to follow and Wind carried him worriedly as they darted after the shape down through the streets, swinging on telephone wires and jumping off of cars.

_Careful, _Nota warned.

Now, the peaceful silence felt sinister as they struggled to see what the shadows hid and the rustling of trees was as loud as a gunshot to Wind. After being on guard all day, it immediately sent the worst case scenarios flitting through her mind and none of them held much promise. She couldn't match Jack's curious excitement as they gave themselves up to the chase.

The two found themselves in an empty parking area behind a large building, a large truck and industrial equipment casting long shadows. Wind pressed her back against Jacks as they slowly circled, watching their surroundings warily and trying to pinpoint the shadow.

"Hello, mate."

Wind tensed immediately at the voice and they whirled around to see the silhouette of a familiar guardian resting casually in the shadows of a building.

"Been a long time," he continued, his distinct accent clear in his lowered voice. " Blizzard of '68, I believe. Easter Sunday, wasn't it?"

_Well look who it is. Bunnyboy himself, _Eurie crowed.

The Easter Bunny stepped out of the shadows, gesturing with his trusty boomerang. Despite the situation, Wind couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips at the memory. Bunny was no doubt still pissed. He had never been good at letting go of grudges.

"Bunny!" Jack greeted cheekily, easily schooling his face into one of faux innocence that would no doubt annoy the guardian even more. "You're not still mad about that, are you?"

"_Yes,"_ Bunny growled, anger flashing in his narrowed green eyes and Wind coughed in her hand to control her amusement from behind Jack. She was all too relieved when her suspicions were confirmed and Bunnymund's ears didn't so much as flicker in her direction. That was good, that was… well, she'd already _known_ but it was always good to be reassured. Wind tried to ignore how terrible it felt, knowing.

Bunny raised the boomerang threateningly, pausing in a curious way like he was holding himself back. That had Wind's eyebrows raising and she could sense Jack's interest instantly rise.

"But this is about something else." Bunny smirked as he examined his boomerang for nonexistent scratches and Wind's warning senses tingled. "Fellas?"

Two yetis stepped out of the shadow, large and menacing as they grabbed Jack by the scruff of his clothes, hauling him protesting into a waiting sack before neither him nor Wind could even react. Wind only watched helplessly, not entirely sure what she should do. There was no way she could blow the yetis away without questions raised and she was sure that the Guardians of Childhood were too high off their morals to consider harming any one without justifiable cause. Bunny had already said it had nothing to do with the last huge mess Jack had caused for them so it couldn't have been about revenge.

Turns out, Wind wasn't given a choice. As Jack was tossed into a portal, the yetis ducking in after him and Bunnymund disappearing down one of his holes, the portal began to shrink and Wind found herself being sucked in, wisps of herself catching in the force of the portal and she was dragged through after them.

_Icicles, _Eurie cursed as Zeph sighed.

The journey was less-than-pleasant and as soon as it was over, Wind had resolved to never let it happen again. Struggling to regain her senses, Wind blinked blearily around at her new surroundings. Her heart settled in her stomach as she processed - and really, she should have guessed as soon as she'd seen the damn yetis.

They were in the North freaking Pole. Santa's workshop, to be exact. _North's workshop._

As soon as she'd caught sight of the gaudy decorations, chaotic bustle, roaring fireplaces and cheery faces, she immediately gave up trying to keep her eyes open and groaned. She had sworn she'd never be back here.

Yet here she was.

"Hey, there he is. Jack Frost!"

The rumbling voice that filled the space sent mixed feelings dancing in Wind's chest and when she finally felt able to open her eyes without the dizziness, couldn't help but stare at the faces of the legendary guardians in all their smiling, bright and powerful glory. As Wind floated into the air, all too happy to leave the ground, she was desperately glad they couldn't see her.

Still on the floor, Jack fought out of the sack and stared just as dazedly around at what waited for him.

Wind was close enough to hear his small "_wow, you gotta be kidding me"_ before he was being hauled roughly to his feet by more yetis and he struggled out of their grip.

"Hope the yetis treated you well," North commented cheerfully

"Oh yeah, I love being shoved in a sack and tossed through a magic portal," Jack snapped as he righted himself, swinging his staff to rest on a shoulder, Wind naturally gravitating to his side even though she wanted nothing more than to hide behind the nearest pillar.

"Good. That was my idea. You know Bunny, obviously…"

Bunny grunted from where he had taken his position leaning against a pillar to North's left, Jack echoing the "obviously" in vague bemusement at the whole bizarre situation. Here they were, being introduced to the Guardians of Childhood after being tossed through a portal with little explanation or warning, having never properly spoken in the entirety of Jack Frost's life. It was just so random Wind was certain it was the Old Man's doing.

"The Tooth Fairy," North continued and the Tooth Fairy herself flitted forward at her cue, wings buzzing and little hummingbird fairies not far behind her.

"Hello Jack. I've heard a lot about you. And your _teeth!"_

"My-my what?"

Wind twitched at their proximity but couldn't help but laugh at Jack's confusion.

_Well Toothie's just as weird as ever, I see, _Eurie remarked.

"Open up! Are they really as white as they say?"

Before they knew it, Tooth was up in Jack's face, prodding his mouth open and ducking to examine his teeth with wide eyes.

"Oh they really do sparkle like freshly fallen snow," she remarked to her fairies who sighed dreamily and with an annoyed huff, Wind sent a subtle gust of air that pushed the fairies back to a reasonable distance as Tooth reprimanded her girls half-heartedly.

For a second, Wind could have sworn Tooth was looking right at her but then North was sweeping in to continue introductions and she escaped the focus of those sharp purple eyes. She couldn't be sure if she had been seen, which should not have been possible, but Tooth didn't seem to have anything to say, just briefly thoughtful before she went back to muttering to her fairies.

"And Sandman… Sandy. Sandy?"

All attention switched to the dozing man as he hovered mid-air and Wind hid a fond smile as North woke him up insistently, blinking sleepily at everyone when he was finally awake.

"Hey, yo! Anyone wanna tell me why I'm here?" Jack interrupted impatiently.

Sandy perked up but at his attempt at signing the no doubt complicated answer, Jack was only left more confused and he stopped the sandman in his eager efforts.

Wind squinted, picking up a few key symbols that chilled her as she pieced together their significance. The moon symbol and a familiar silhouette showed up often enough that she was unsettled, hovering watchfully above Jack as he meandered around the room and addressed the guardians.

"I must have done something really bad to get you guys together. Wait - am I on the naughty list?"

North let out a loud laugh. "On naughty list? You hold record. But no matter, we overlook. Now we are wiping clean the slates."

That got Wind's attention and she stared at the toymaker suspiciously, wondering what he was planning. What reason could he have for disregarding his precious lists?

"How come?" Obviously, Jack was thinking something along the same lines.

"Ha, good question," Bunny snorted.

"How come?" North continued, eyes bright with something. "I'll tell you how come! Because _now_, you are guardian!"

Wind felt her jaw drop as the yetis held up flaming torches and elves burst into a celebratory march with brass instruments. Jack was left stumbling in bewilderment as the tinkling elves marched around him, North laughed and the yetis twirled their torches.

Wind couldn't believe what she was seeing, even her anemoi were speechless.

Then, well. Then Wind laughed. She laughed because it was so random, so far from what she'd feared and so damn ironic. Oh the irony.

_Are they serious? That Old Man's lost his mind, _Nota chuckled, nearly drowned out by Eurie's own uncontrollable laughter.

Wind laughed so hard that when Jack decided he'd had enough of whatever the hell was going on and slammed his staff down, she all to easily went along and sent a shockwave of powerful gusts disrupting the march and blowing out the torches, the echoes of her laughter reverberating against the walls as frost spread across the floor and the music died awkwardly.

She just couldn't escape it could she? Everything always came back to _that_.

"What makes you think I want to be a guardian?" Jack demanded as the guardians peered at him warily. Wind couldn't help the dark satisfaction that welled up in her, her laughter fading into a smirk.

_This boy really is too much like us, _Zeph sighed and Wind swore she heard Eurie still cackling in the background somewhere.

A loud laugh filled the room once more and the guardians looked to North uncertainly as his laughter died down and he stared at Jack seriously.

"Of course you do. Music!"

_Oh they just don't learn, _Reas grumbled.

The elves started playing their instruments again.

"No music," Jack snapped, to which the elves sighed and threw down their instruments in frustration. "This is all very flattering but, uh, you don't want me. You're all hard work and deadlines, and I'm more snowballs and fun times. I'm not a guardian."

Jack hopped around the room, Wind at his side as he floated down to sit at the foot of the great globe.

"Yeah! That's exactly what I said," Bunnymund said and Wind scowled at him.

Tooth stopped North before he could step in and run his mouth again, flying up to Jack with a patient smile a little too in his space for Wind to be comfortable.

"I don't think you understand what it is we do."

She flew up to the Globe. "Each of those lights is a child-"

"A child who believes," North continued and Wind found herself rolling her eyes. He just couldn't help himself. "And good or bad, naughty or nice, we protect them."

Wind growled when Tooth couldn't help herself but pry open Jack's mouth and look at his teeth again as he tried to speak.

"Tooth. Fingers out of mouth."

Tooth smiled apologetically and backed off. "They're beautiful."

_Strange woman, _Nota muttered and the others murmured in agreement.

Wind nudged Jack away anyway.

"Okay, no more wishy washy. Pitch is out there doing who-knows-what!"

"You mean the boogeyman?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"Yes," North confirmed, gesturing to the globe glittering with lights. "When Pitch threatens us, he threatens them as well!"

"All the more reason to pick someone more qualified," Jack shrugged, turning his back on them.

"Pick? You think we pick? No, you were chosen, like we were all chosen. By Man in Moon."

Jack froze and turned around to face them. "What?"

"Last night, Jack, the Moon chose you."

_Did he now? That's mighty interesting, _Reas commented darkly.

"_Maybe._"

But Jack was only half-listening.

"The Man in the Moon, he talks to you?" Jack asked quietly, staring up through the roof window where the Moon could be seen despite the daylight.

"You see, you cannot say no. It is destiny," North concluded, satisfied that Jack was understanding yet oblivious to Jack's inner turmoil at the revelation. But Wind knew. She could guess exactly what was going through his head.

"Why? Why wouldn't he tell me that himself?" Jack wondered out loud and Wind sighed sadly. "After three hundred years, this is his answer? To spend eternity like you guys, cooped up in some… some hideout thinking of- of ways to bribe kids. No, no. _That's not for me_. No offense."

Bunny stuttered incredulously. "How- how- how was that _not_ offensive?"

Jack started to walk away and Bunny laughed cruelly. "You know what I think? I think we just dodged a bullet. I mean, what's this clown know about bringing joy to children, anyway?"

"Uh, you ever hear of a snow day?" Jack asked, Bunny's taunts stopping him in his tracks. "I know it's no _hardboiled egg_, but kids like what I do."

"But none of them believe in you, do they? You're invisible, mate, it's like you don't even exist."

_Yeah nah, like that's gonna fly, _Eurus growled.

Wind was so close to punching the rabbit in the face, cover be damned, he had no right to say that.

"Bunny! _Enough," _Tooth reprimanded, cutting off Boreas's unheard rant and Wind forced herself to reign in her temper.

"No, no, the kangaroo's right," Jack declared mischievously, revelling in the way Bunnymund twitched.

_Oh, yeah, _Eurie cheered.

"What did you call me? I am not a kangaroo, mate."

"Oh, and this whole time I thought you were," Jack gasped in mock surprise. "If you're not a kangaroo, what are you?"

_Ouch, _Nota grinned.

"I'm a bunny. The Easter Bunny. People believe in _me_."

The air was tense and Wind glared at Bunny from Jack's side.

_Guys, that's enough, _Zeph spoke up, the others shrinking away at her steely look but Wind wouldn't budge.

"Jack, walk with me," North cut in.

North led them through the workshop, chatting pleasantly as Jack stared around in wonder until they entered his office and he closed the door threateningly.

_I knew he was planning something, _Reas spat.

"Who are you, Jack Frost? What is your centre?"

"My centre?"

"If Man in Moon chose you to be a guardian, you must have something very special inside."

_Only took you 300 years to realise, _Nota drawled and Eurie snorted.

North leaned back thoughtfully from where he had backed Jack against the door, trapping him. Wind could tell Jack was itching to escape into open air and she remained on standby in case North proved to be a danger.

She wouldn't break her cover for her own temper but if Jack was in danger, she wouldn't hesitate.

When North brought out the matryoshka doll, Wind deflated and let her attention drift from their conversation. She had heard the same speech many times. '_The center, the center, the center. Tell me, Wind. What is your center?'_

_'I don't have a center. I am not a guardian. I am a force of nature. A lifeless spirit.'_

_'Of course you have center. Look inside.'_

_'Give it a rest, toyman.'_

Wind had been browsing the shelves, absently examining the intricate toys on display when she paused at one that brought tears to her eyes. It was a matryoshka doll, just like the one North was showing Jack, but of a girl with auburn hair instead, scowling with fierce silver eyes.

_'I see a strong girl, fiery in temper and infuriatingly stubborn to no end.'_

Wind picked up the doll and shakily took off the top layer to reveal a soft smile.

_'I see a girl of great kindness and empathy, never able to let a person suffer or be forgotten.'_

Another layer and a happy face grinned cheekily up at her.

_'I see a girl full of light and mischief, whose laughter dances on a breeze.'_

Another layer, and solemn eyes shone.

_'I see a girl so serious in her loyalty, those who win her trust would be careful never to let it go.'_

Wind stifled a shaky breath and removed the last layer, revealing the center.

_'Courage. I see a girl with a courage known to no man, who howls mightily in a storm and taunts the darkness.'_

The doll gave her a daring smirk and Wind stared at it numbly, putting the doll away when the pain got too much.

She shouldn't have opened it. It… she… she hadn't known he'd made one for her. She's never seen it. She wished she hadn't.

_It's beautiful, _Zeph whispered.

Turning, she was grateful that in her distraction, no one had seen the floating doll, too absorbed in their own conversation.

North and Jack had wandered out of the office to the balcony overlooking the rest of the workshop as North delivered the end of his speech with grand gestures.

"This wonder is what I put into the world. And what I protect in children. It is what makes me a guardian. It is my center. What is yours?"

Jack looked away. "I don't know."

North smiled kindly and nodded encouragingly. He seemed to pause, eyes drifting as he opened his mouth to day something. Before anyone could say anything more, Bunnymund was bursting in.

"We have a problem, mate. Trouble at the Tooth Palace."


End file.
